It is well known in the art to provide absorbent hygiene articles such as sanitary napkins and diapers with a liquid barrier component, such as side flaps, leg cuffs, barrier cuffs, or for example with an anal and/or genital cuff, also referred to as a topsheet with one or more openings. These cuffs have a high barrier function, to stop bodily exudates from wetting the skin, or from leaking out of the absorbent article.
This is for example described in co-pending application EP-A-1417945, which describes hydrophobic topsheets with one or more openings, which have a high alcohol repellency, in order to provide no (re)wetting of the skin by any bodily exudates stored under the topsheet.
It has been found that often materials that provide a good barrier are not very comfortable in use, because these materials may be too thick or too stiff. It may be desirable that the barrier components are made of materials that not only provide an excellent barrier for urine, faeces or blood, but that the barrier components are also very soft and flexible for the sensitive (baby) skin, and that they are easy to fold and easy to elasticise, forming comfortable folds or wrinkles.
Thus, there is a need for further improved barrier components for absorbent articles that are not only an excellent barrier but also comfortable in use, even when folded or wrinkled.